Samberg, 34, plays a smug and effective detective in the workplace comedy set in a Brooklyn police precinct. Although his character, Jake Peralta, can be goofy, he's also the best detective in the house.

"He's like McNulty from 'The Wire,' except instead of drinking problems and philandering he's being a jackass," Samberg said. "I think it's important for the show to work, because otherwise why do you care? If he’s actually good at it, you can forgive him from being a jackass."

"He's comedy McNulty!" added executive producer Dan Goor.................The file: Checked-out desk jockies Hitchcock and Scully, counting the days until their retirement — not that it will change their lives much.

The partnership: "They're similar to older detectives on 'The Wire,' but when you watch that, it's infuriating," Samberg says. "Whereas here, it's like, 'Please don't ever work Hitchcock and Scully!' It's the joy of my day to see them just goofing off."